


Charisma

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-12
Updated: 2007-01-14
Packaged: 2019-01-19 02:31:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12401259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: "Where am I?" Marlena squinted around an office. She looked down and saw that she was wearing dark emerald... robes?"This is what the Charisma necklace has done to various Muggles who put it on ever since it was taken out of Anandore’s Antique’s-- the best antiques in fair London since 1940. Muggles change places with Wizard-kind.     ...





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

  
Author's notes: 1  


* * *

Prologue

“Do not judge from mere appearances; for the lift laughter that bubbles on the lip often mantles over the depths of sadness, and the serious look may be the sober veil that covers a divine peace and joy. The bosom can ache beneath diamond brooches; and many a blithe heart dances under coarse wool.”� --Edwin Hubbel Chapin

 

Anna stepped onto the threshold of a shop down an alley. It looked like a dark but interesting store when she went past it. The paint on the window of the door was chipping. She could just make out the lettering that read “Anandore’s Antique’s -- the best antiques in fair London since 1940”�. She grinned. Oh, how she loved mysterious places! Carefully she walked to the door and opened it. Bells and a very tinkly chime sounded as she stepped foot on a tattered old mat. The whole place looked as intriguing as its exterior.

Inside the shop was dusty and smelled of stale cigarettes. A few old tables cluttered with a variety of peculiar items were tucked in the nooks and crannies of the small shop. She almost turned back before she saw an old man gazing at her from the counter.

"Good evening, Miss, do you need help?" He stared at her in an uncomfortably manner as he continued, "Help of any kind?"

"Um... No, I'm fine," she almost whispered. "Just looking for a birthday present for my sister."

His almost nonexistent eyebrows shot up. Apparently he was amused. He smiled welcomingly. "What kind of gift would your sister be wanting?" He walked around the shop, pointing out different items as he said, "A ring, an anklet, a book, a tea cup set, or perhaps an enchanting necklace?"

“I’m not exactly sure, she’s not very easy to shop for,”� Anna assured the proprietor. 

He sighed, but continued to show her the various items that were there. "We have a large selection of unique items. Most of them are antiques of high value."

“Are they?”� She blinked. She noticed none of the antiques had price tags. She really didn’t have much money at the moment. 

“Not to worry, Miss, they are not overly expensive.”�

Anna wondered what that meant, but looked around nonetheless. She walked over to a table on which a number of earrings were displayed. ‘Marlena does collect earrings.’ She picked up a pair of gold earrings set with amethyst stones.

“Those are part of a set with a necklace and an anklet.”�

"There is a set?" Anna asked. She knew that her lips curled up in a bright smile. May be she could buy the anklet for her friend Shea.

"Yes, a set. They were from a very wealthy family."

“Why on earth would they want to sell the set?”�

“No need to know the details, Miss.”� 

She looked at him with a sideway glance. “I’ll think about it,”� she said taking one last glance at the earring before placing it down. “How much?”�

“One hundred pounds, Miss. Would you be wanting to buy that now?”� The shop keeper smiled in a dubious way.

His hands were clasped together and his eyes sparkled in the dim room. Anna sighed and thought about it. 

‘Do I have enough money? Well, 100 pounds in notes and some coins are worth it. Would Marlena or Shea like my presents? Marlene does like necklaces ever so much. Besides, Shea loves anklets. Her mouth curled up into a bright smile.

“Yes, I will buy them now.”� Anna smiled. 

“I will be back in a moment, Miss.”� She could have sworn that she saw a skip in his walk.

As the owner gathered the items from the back of the shop, Anna studied the store more closely. Near the back hung a suit of armor that looked as if it would fall apart at even the slightest touch. There were jewels on a shelf behind his desk; the gold cases that housed them gleamed in the candle light of the dim room.

There was an anklet, a few bracelets, and more intriguingly, a crown. Her right hand reached out to touch the case directly in front of the crown. Her fingers fumble at the lock of the case until footsteps announce the proprietor's return.

"Here it is, Miss, care for a look?"

"Yes, thank you," Anna replied. Her hand dropped quickly to her side while her heart pounding. The man beckoned her to his old fashioned cash register and let her admire the jewelry as he laid them out. 

She gazed at the gleaming gems that adorned the necklace. The faceted stone seemed to beckon her forward as it glittered in the light of a far away candle. She carefully reached for it. As her hand inched closer to the necklace, the shop keeper started up the cash register. The ringing of the cash register caught her attention and her hand fell limp to her side.

“Thank you very much, Miss,”� he said once she paid him. “Please, come back again,”� he said with a precarious grin.

Anna was slightly startled by his attitude. She smiled and walked quickly out of the shop, glancing back once to remember the surroundings. 

The proprietor watched her leave. "Silly Muggles, they don't even look at what they're buying. Well, at least I have my pounds." The coins jingled loudly in his pocket as he walked to the back of his shop.

A/N: Written by Jamesandlily4ever (Hpfanmgd14) and he_he_helupin. Once again beta-ed by Snape's Talon. :)


	2. The Job, The Jewelry, and The Disorientation

**The is the un-betaed version**

The Job, The Jewelry, and The Disorientation

A woman with arm-length dark brown hair walked with a gift bag at her arm. She turned down on Walkerton Avenue and headed towards a row of brick houses. Each had a design of its own; some were with chimneys, some were without, others had pavement walkways, others had bricked walkways, and many more had out door hangings. Flags were abroad with the wind, plants were beside the door, dogs were pacing behind their fences, and the lawns were either trimmed or not.

She walked down the street, watching her step or watching the pale blue sky. Today a birthday party would be held for her elder sister, Marlena. The woman walking, Anna, had the idea that may be buying a necklace for her sister that was part of a 100 pound set was a bit too much, but at least that would make her sister's life a bit more brighter. Marlena was gloomy ever since the love of her life died. Anna frowned as she kept walking. Marlena's giggles, gentle older-sister gestures, and even her smiles were nearly gone.

Anna sighed as she stepped onto the threshold of her sister’s flat, knocking before she entered the unlocked door. The flat was made for only two people, with a small kitchen, two small bedrooms, and a bathroom. The living room was just inside the door. A fireplace, television, and a couch filled the room. Anna looked past the bright yellow walls to see her sister sitting on a love seat staring into the lit fireplace. 

She didn’t seem to acknowledge the fact that Anna had come into her house. Marlena looked slightly depressed as she inched closer to her.

“Happy birthday, Marlena!”� 

Marlena jumped, her eyes wide as she turned to face her younger sister. But the surprise turned into a wide smile and she, instead, jumped up in happiness to hug Anna. 

Anna caught sight of Shea who was beside a window. Shea was grinning at the two of them.

"Thank God that you are fine, Annaline. I was starting to get worried!" Marlena smiled warmly at Anna.

“I’m so sorry, Mar.”� Anna stated, removing her arms from the embrace, “I got tied up.”�

Marlena nodded just when Anna handed her the gift bag that was under her arm.

Marlena stared at Anna with narrowed eyes while her hands unfastened the top of the gift bag. 

Meanwhile Shea walked up to Anna. "Why did you take so long?" 

"I'll tell you later, Shea. I want to see what Marlena says about the gift I bought her," Anna whispered as Marlena sunk her hand into the bag. 

Shea frowned, but smiled when Marlena's arm began to get out of the bag. In Marlena's hand was a small box. Anna grinned when Marlena's eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets. 

“It’s beautiful, Annaline!”� Marlena’s hands glazed over the gold metal. Anna could tell she adored it by the glint of happiness in her eyes. The necklace really was beautiful and the purple of the gem stone complimented the dark brown of her shoulder length hair. Marlena smiled at Anna and hugged her again. “Thank you!”�

“You’re welcome,”� she smiled. “Are either of you hungry?”� 

They both nodded, but Marlena didn’t take her eyes off the necklace. “My treat,”� Anna added. 

The threesome gathered their purses when Marlena finally pried her eyes off of her gift, stating that she would wear it to work tomorrow. They left to go to a restaurant down the street from Marlena’s flat. 

In the few minutes that Anna had missed being outside, the sky had turned to an amazing dark blue and pink. She smiled, happy to be with her sister and very good friend. But she couldn’t help but feel like something bad was going to happen notably soon. She dismissed the feeling, however, as the trio stepped onto the sidewalk where the restaurant was off of. 

When they stepped in, they were greeted by a waitress who showed them to a table. Anna sat down, feeling like she forgot something. When she realized what could have been missing, she checked a pocket in her jeans, and sighed in relief when she felt a small box. Feeling comfortable now, she started talking to her friends until another woman came by and asked what they would like to drink. 

After all three of them ordered the same kind of champagne and ordered their food, they began talking again.

“How is everything, Shea?”� Anna asked, sipping her wine. 

“Oh, just fine.”� She replied, “the kids are great. I didn’t think anyone could like World History so much, until I actually started teaching it. I know I hated it in school.

“Actually, though, I was just asked to teach at another school. My old school, in fact.”�

“That’s great!”� Anna and Marlena announced in unison. “Are you going to take it?”� Anna included.

“Yes, I love my old school. This will be great. I’m taking place of my old teacher.”� Shea answered. “He was never really ‘there’, I guess I could say; off his rocker.”� 

Anna and Marlena nodded, both having had a teacher that was incompetent of teaching their own subject. In high school, it was Mr. Liney, who taught science. Both the girl’s had received him. While still getting good marks in science, they couldn’t help but spend the year when Anna had him trying to figure out why he had become a teacher. At the end of the year, Anna asked him, only getting an answer of “I have no idea,”� and that was the end of it. 

“I’m very excited. I can’t wait to move there, but it won’t be until next August.”�

“Wait, what do you mean by ‘move there’?”� Marlena asked.

“It’s a boarding school, I thought you knew I went to one when I was younger.”�

“Oh... you did,”� Marlena blushed in embarrassment at forgetting that detail. “I just forgot for a second.”�

“It’s alright, Mar.”� 

They sat in silence until their food came, all thankful that a new conversation had started up again. Anna was happy for Shea, but a little sad that she wouldn’t see her as much as she used to. Shea never really said much about her school, for some reason she seemed reluctant to talk about it. Anna and Marlena didn’t even know the name of it, or where it was located. But, while she didn’t like to talk about it, there was always a gleeful glint in her eyes whenever she did.

There was no doubt in her mind that Shea was keeping something from the sisters. They just didn’t know what.

“Well, happy birthday.”� Said Anna as they were getting up to leave (she consciously touched the box with the anklet inside of it, just to make sure it was still there.) “You’re thirty-five, now!”�

Marlena sighed dramatically, as Anna paid the cashier and they stepped out into the darkened street. “I’m so old...”�

Anna and Shea laughed lightly. 

As they made their way to Marlena’s flat, Anna kept on checking her pocket whenever she heard a noise that sounded like a cardboard box on the pavement. She swore to herself that she was overreacting. Shea apparently noticed because she asked why she was so fidgety. 

“It’s nothing...”� Anna insisted, failing to hold back a smile.

“It is too!”� Shea exclaimed, smiling also. 

“I want to see,”� Marlena joined in. 

“Okay,”� she gave in. “Just to clear something up,”� she went on, “the necklace came in a set.”�

“Oh, really?”� Shea said, excitedly.

“Yes.”� Anna took out the box containing the anklet. “This is for you, Shea.”�

Shea stared at the box for a moment in Anna’s hand. She took it almost reluctantly, saying that she didn’t need a present. 

“Thank you, but you really didn’t have to. I thought it was another present for Marlena!”� She stated when she opened the box. She hugged her, nonetheless.

Anna shrugged, still grinning as Shea let go of her to admire the anklet. “You’re welcome.”�

All the way back to Marlena’s, Shea couldn’t help but look at the anklet, Anna observed. But when they got to their destination, she finally put in back into the box and into her purse. 

They sat in the living room and conversed more. It was soon very late, Anna realized, and she really needed to get home so that she wouldn’t be too tired to go to work the next day. 

When she got home, she changed into pajamas and went straight to bed, and falling asleep not long after.

\-----

“It was very nice of Anna to get these gifts for us.”� Marlena said to Shea when Anna left.

“Yes, it is.”� Shea replied. “I just love the anklet.”�

“I love the necklace, as well. I can’t wait to wear it tomorrow.”� Marlena sighed at the thought.

They sat in silence for a moment.

“Anna was right, it is late.”� Shea said, looking at the clock on the wall. “I better go.”�

“True, it is very late.”�

The two women stood and walked to the door, Shea grabbing her purse before walking out. “Good bye, Marlena.”�

“Bye,”�

“Happy birthday.”� Shea left.

As Marlena closed the door, she thought she heard a faint popping sound, but dismissed it and went to bed. 

\----

The next morning after she took a shower and got dressed, she put on the necklace Anna had gotten her. She admired the amethyst as it seemed to glow in the light, she smiled lightly and left her room. 

Yet, for some reason, while she was walking through the hall to go to breakfast, she felt disoriented. But she shrugged it off, thinking it was just hunger. 

But suddenly when she walked into the kitchen, she watched as everything went black...


End file.
